To understand the breadth and scope of true Godly stewardship, here are three questions every Christian should form an answer to between himself or herself and God:
- Who really owns what I have?
- How much is enough for my needs?
- Have I prepared for what will happen when I go home to be with the Lord?
Each of these three questions and their answers hold the key to:
- A calm awareness of a solid walk with God;
- Security in facing the final judgment, knowing that you have done God’s will; and
- Peace in your remaining time, knowing that you have done your best!
Here is what we mean.
1. Who really owns what I have?
This is the easiest one to answer but at times the hardest one to really live out. God owns it all. He made it all, He holds all of it in His hands, and at most He has given a small fraction of His creation to you to hold in your hands for a moment. That is what true stewardship really means.
That being said, it is difficult at best to hold those things we have been given loosely. Corrie ten Boom said, “I’ve learned that we must hold everything loosely, because when I grip it tightly, it hurts when the Father pries my fingers loose and takes it from me.”
But living stewardship is easier said than done. It takes faith, sometimes even great faith, to loosely hold the things we have worked so hard to get into our hands.
2. How much is enough for my needs?
God has promised to meet our needs, but never did he promise to grant you great wealth, an enormous estate, a multi-car garage filled with expensive sports cars or assets to make the neighbors jealous. God said “needs”, not wants, desires, cravings or wishes. That is what stewardship means.
So measure your life and determine what you need.
Now go back to question 1, who owns what you need, but especially, who owns the rest? Of course, the answer is that God owns it all. God has also told us how tightly we should hold onto “our stuff,” it is more blessed to give than receive. And when we were told that, Paul also added a bit more:
Acts 20:35
35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'”
It is the parts of Acts 20:35 that address hard work and helping the weak that are most easily and most often overlooked. Don’t overlook any part of God’s Word. Help your children or grandchildren develop a spirit and heart of generosity toward their God, their church and those in need. The best way to do that is through the example of your life. Give generously and joyfully and you will be blessed, and God will “meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19.
3. Have I prepared for what will happen when I go home to be with the Lord?
One of the duties we have as stewards of God’s gifts to us is to be good stewards in our daily lives and also in our passing. Have you demonstrated your love for God in your will? Have you prepared your children to be Godly stewards as well? Are you giving them far, far more than they need, creating a temptation and a potential problem for them? See the articles on the website of The Idlewild Foundation including Are Your Kids Involved In Your Giving and Are You Giving Your Kids Money To Burn?
Now, with that in mind, now go back and ask yourself those three questions and spend some quiet time with God as you answer:
- Who really owns what I have?
- How much is enough for my needs?
- Have I prepared for what will happen when I go home to be with the Lord?
Call The Idlewild Foundation – we can help with ideas for what you can do to answer those questions well, and join the many believers who fully grasp and live that it is more blessed to give than receive.
About the Author
John Campbell has retired from a 40 year legal practice as a trial attorney in Tampa. He has served in multiple volunteer roles at Idlewild Baptist Church in Lutz, Florida where he met Jesus. He began serving as the Executive Director of the Idlewild Foundation in 2016. He has been married to the love of his life, Mona Puckett Campbell, since 1972.